Another Avatar University Story

Chapter Six

I didn't get much sleep that night, due in part to the smell of beer being wafted through the air ducts and the smell of yesterday's meals flowing through the bathroom opposite my bedroom. I went to sleep at around four and I woke up at around six, the time I'd usually wake up for school.

I began my Thursday morning gagging and pinching the bridge of my nose. Appa and Momo were either asleep or dead from the smell, but my money is on the former of the two. Appa was balled up in his crate and Momo was balled up under my bed. I got up out of my bed and shuffled my way to the doorway of my room. I peeked my head around the doorframe to check up on Katara; she was still passed out from last night. I just smiled. Despite her zombie-like appearance, she still looked gorgeous.

I shifted my attention towards the elephant in the room now: my bathroom. I took a scarf and wrapped it around my neck to mask the smell. With my scarf and febreeze in hand, II went off to war. I spent the better half of my morning scrubbing and scraping the aftermath of last night's upchucking session.

Jesus, I didn't even know you could throw up purple and green as colors.

After an hour, I completed the facelift of my bathroom. Although the smell of vomit and alcohol lingered a little, the room was more or less cleaned up now. I was quite proud, placing both of my hands on my hips, standing triumphantly.

"What are you doing?"

I turned myself around.

"Katara I- I didn't know you were awake." My face turned red, as it always did in her presence, and, through muscle memory, my hand began to grip the back of my head in embarrassment.

She laughed and bent down to grip her knees from the laughter. I joined in the laughter as well.

"You know you have a nice apartment right? It's really comfy in here." She complimented, spinning her head around taking my flat into view.

"Well, yeah, it's nice now after I cleaned your mess." I cackled. "Thanks though, I got what you meant."

"Sorry about that.." She was the one turning red now. "You live alone here?" she asked.

"Well, I do have a pet samoyed and a cat with me. They're asleep though right now."

"But you have a picture of yourself with two other people over there." She turned and pointed towards a framed picture sitting on top of my island countertop.

I turned my head to follow whatever it was she was pointing at. It happened to be a picture of my parents and I.

"My parents died a couple years ago." I leaned my body on the doorway to the bathroom, my hand covering my face.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Aang." Her smiling, red face turned into a pale frown.

"Don't be. I have Appa and Momo around to keep me company. You wanna meet them?" I asked, pointing towards my bedroom.

"Sure, why not!" She said excitedly.

I motioned her to follow me to the door quietly. With my finger pressed up against my lip, I opened my bedroom door as silently as possible. I pointed down towards Appa's crate and then beneath my bed where Momo sat sleeping.

We crawled down to their level and went for Appa's crate first.

"Boo!" I screamed.

Appa jolted upwards, darting his head left to right before realizing it was me.

"Hey there buddy- Hey!"

Instead of cuddling with me, Appa went straight for Katara who sat on top of her knees.